The best garden trowel is a simple but highly versatile and heavy-duty garden tool that should exist in every gardener’s toolbox as an essential tool. A gardening trowel makes gardening tasks much easier, whether you’re digging a hole to plant seeds, transplanting plants and flowers, or removing stubborn weeds.
The garden trowels are essential for your gardening tool collection, no matter how little or huge your garden is. But how do you pick the best garden trowel for the job?
In this article, we will go over the top-rated garden trowels for various needs and discuss the advantages and cons of each one so you can compare them to your preferences. We’ve also provided a complete buying guide to help you become a savvier shopper. Finally, we will cover some of the most frequently asked questions about garden trowels that you may have as well.
Let’s dig in!
6 Best Garden Trowels Reviewed: Our Top Picks
Garden trowels, little handheld shovels are must-have homegrown garden tools for both novices and seasoned gardeners. If you’re new to gardening or need guidance picking a garden trowel, let us help your search.
Usually, garden trowels are manufactured from heavy-duty materials. They support you through many years on the garden bed with digging holes, deep bulb planting transplanting small flowers, and more. Let’s take a look at our top picks.
Fiskars, 384220-1001 Ergo Best Garden Hand Trowel
Fiskars has created a long-lasting, simple-to-use garden trowel that won’t break the bank but will dig out a lot of accumulated dirt and turn the soil.
The heavy duty blade on this Fiskars garden hand trowel is made of aluminum. However, this makes no difference in terms of durability – you can confidently use this garden trowel in tough soils, and it will cut through without a hitch.
This Fiskars garden hand trowel is ultra light to use, making it a perfect garden trowel for complex chores without sacrificing sturdiness.
The brightly colored handle has a hang hole for easy storage on a hook. This Fiskars garden hand trowel is ideal for occasional gardeners and beginners while still providing plenty of benefits for more experienced practitioners.
The ergonomic design of the handle is something we’ve come to identify with Scandinavian craftsmanship. When you use this garden trowel, you’ll notice that hand and wrist fatigue isn’t an issue – the particular design protects you from that.
This garden trowel shines when it comes to planting, effortlessly cutting through the turf with a sharp tip to make just the proper size holes for planting or to mix soil. The tool’s attractive form also means that gardeners seeking to take up plants will find it highly appealing.
This heavy duty garden trowel is one of the lightest garden tools on the market, weighing only 6.4 ounces. This, along with its hardness and superior strength, means that when you’re digging holes, you’ll have a far more efficient garden trowel experience than with many other brands.
Pros
- Great for mixing soil, taking up small plants, digging and planting
- Easy storage with hanging hole
- One of the finest hand trowels at a great price
- The sharpened blade can easily cut through the turf, thanks to the pointed tip
- Ergonomically designed handle for comfortable use and good grip
- Provides protection against hand and wrist fatigue
- Durable and rust resistant with polished aluminum handle
Cons
- Build materials include lead, and thus, not recommended for planting fruits and vegetables
Edward Tools Best Bend Proof Heavy Duty Garden Trowel
Edward Tools boasts proudly that this garden trowel is “bend proof,” but they’re not just saying that.
Edward Tools stands by this guaranteed claim. They state that if you manage to bend this garden trowel with heavy duty gardening jobs, they will exchange it free of charge, no questions asked. That’s a true testament to the artistry that goes into what its creators describe as the most heavy duty garden trowel on the market.
There is plenty of evidence available to explain why they can make this claim. For starters, the blade of the garden trowel is larger than usual, allowing more earth or rocks to be moved than with other garden trowels.
This garden trowel is also made of a single piece of heavy duty stainless steel, making it nearly hard to bend even when used in rocky, clay rich soil and gravel.
Because the ergonomic rubber handle is grooved to accommodate your hand and has a palm rest, this garden trowel is gentle on your hands.
The Edward Tools Bend Proof garden trowel is both comfortable to use and strong enough to handle any work you throw at it. Perhaps the greatest news about the Edward Tools Bend Proof garden trowel is that it is less expensive than most garden trowels on the market.
Other garden tools may be more creative and appear more stylish, but you’ll never have a complaint about this traditional, inexpensive garden trowel that will last for a long time. With no significant difficulties in the drawbacks column, the benefits stack up for a simple, convenient tool.
Pros
- Extremely durable and bend proof build with solid one piece design
- Corrosion and rust resistant blade that is oversized
- Ergonomic handle with finger grooves for maximum comfort
- Heavy duty stainless steel in the construction of this sturdy trowel
- An excellent choice that comes with a lifetime guarantee
Cons
- Blade edges are not sharp enough to cut through rocky soil
Burpee 13″ Best Stainless Steel Garden Trowel
Certain gardening tasks necessitate precision and exact measurements. Adding fertilizer and planting bulbs are only two examples. Alternatively, the Burpee 13″ Stainless Steel garden trowel has incorporated depth markers that are suited for you to dig or plant with precise measures.
Furthermore, the high-quality stainless steel head is meant to survive for decades with regular use. Its heavy-duty, rust-resistant, corrosion-proof construction is perfect for all types of yard maintenance. You may use the tool to dig a hole, plant small plants, or break up tough, compacted soil without fear of damaging it.
The best thing is that the maker of this high-quality stainless steel trowel provides a 10-year warranty, so you can be confident that replacements will be simple. The wood handle with a contoured finger grip is beautiful and quite pleasant, and easy to grasp. It allows you to use this garden trowel for long periods without injuring or blistering your hands, even when trying to reach the tight spots.
You’ll adore the ash wood handle, which is both elegant and provides a good ergonomic grip. Its curved design makes it simple to utilize this garden trowel for a variety of garden tasks. You’ll also love the incorporated leather strap, which ensures you never misplace your garden trowel in the garden again.
Gardeners can precisely measure fertilizer for their gardens thanks to the depth markings.
Pros
- Comes with depth markings
- Easy handling with contoured handle for comfortable and soft grip
- Sturdy materials forged hand trowel for shoveling
- Perfect choice for a lightweight trowel
- Integrated leather hand strap
- Comes with a 10-year replacement warranty
Cons
- Smaller blade size than other competitors
Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Best Aluminum Hand Graden Trowel
The Radius Garden 101 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel has a lot to offer.
Firstly, this Radius Garden Trowel has a one-of-a-kind ergonomic shape. The shape allows you to retain the additional leverage for any type of gardening chores without placing any strain on your wrist.
If you have a weak wrist, arthritis, or carpal tunnel syndrome and have a lot of gardening to accomplish, the Radius Garden trowel will help you get it done quickly.
The lightweight but durable die cast aluminum head is sharper and stronger than steel and rustproof. This Radius Garden trowel’s long and wide blade is the ideal design for carefully removing delicate plants and properly transplanting plants and crops without injuring the roots.
The curving wings of the blade can be used to dig away and lift roots and weed systems. The Radius Garden trowel also contains depth markings to assist you in planting bulbs at the proper depth for proper growth.
The Radius Garden trowel’s thick non-latex thermoplastic handle is particularly pleasant to hold, especially in demanding outdoor gardening situations.
The Radius Garden trowel is a stylish choice for gardeners. It has a brilliant green hue that makes it very easy to identify the yard trowel around your garden.
Pros
- Extremely effective for digging, transplanting, and weeding on loose soil
- Ultra lightweight and affordable
- An innovative ergonomic design offering good leverage to use the trowel safely
- Curved winged blade with gradation marks to easily loosen soil and pull out weeds and roots
- Comfortable grip with non-latex thermoplastic
Cons
- The blade and neck is not designed for heavy duty gardening on hard soil
Garden Guru Super Strong Best Rust Resistant Garden Trowel
Losing your garden trowels in the garden or cottage shed happens all too often if you are an avid gardener. This is why it’s a good idea to get tools with brightly colored handles that are easy to identify.
The Garden Guru Garden Trowel has a bright, neon green handle that makes it really easy to detect – even in low light circumstances. Not only that, but the broad thumb rest at the top of the handle, and finger grooves provide a pleasant resting spot for your fingers when you use this big grip trowel.
The manufacturer’s lifetime warranty is one of the excellent features of this garden trowel. As a result, if you buy one of the brand’s garden trowels, you can expect excellent after sales service. Of course, the rustproof and virtually unbreakable polished stainless steel blade makes this garden trowel suitable for most yard tasks.
Because of its small size and light weight, this garden trowel is exceptionally easy to store and carry to any location.
By and large, this garden trowel is ideal for long-term use. Furthermore, its strategic design eliminates finger fatigue and blisters, which frequently occur when using other gardening tools.
However, gardeners with smaller hands will need to be careful while holding the handle.
Pros
- Sturdy, durable, bend resistant, rusting proof, and weather resistant build, thanks to the polished stainless steel
- Easy to use with a comfortable grip, thanks to the finger grooves and thumb rest
- Easier digging, weeding, potting, and loosening the soil with a concave wide blade, even on hard soil
- Beautifully designed with bright color
- Lightweight; easy to store and transport for any outdoor assignments
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Too large handle for small hands
Wilcox All-Pro 202S 14″ All-Pro Best Suited Graden Trowel
If you’re seeking for a garden trowel that’s unlike any other, the Wilcox Digging Trowel might be just what you’re hunting for.
Wilcox trowels are known for their distinctive blade form, which features a 90-degree bend from the handle to the tip of the blade. In this way, it is strengthened.
The length of the tool, including the handle, is 14 inches, which is longer than the average trowel. 91/2” long and 3″ wide, the blade is long and thin. It’s considerably easier to drive a narrow blade into the soil than a larger one.
Smaller hands may find the blade length a little uncomfortable at times, but this isn’t a major drawback. As an added bonus, the 14-inch digging trowel is also available in a variety of shorter lengths (9″, 10″, 11″, 12″), as well as long (18″) and short (22″) handles.
If the blade is made of stainless steel, sharpening it should not cause rust issues, unlike a blade made of carbon steel that is just chromed. Sharpening stainless steel is more difficult than normal steel, but the edge it achieves lasts longer as a result. To make it easier to plant little bulbs, an incised 6-inch depth gauge is etched into the blade.
The plastic grip measures 41/2 inches in length and is ridged to prevent it from slipping out of your hand. In addition, the bright red color makes it easy to find in the dirt. The rolled steel part above the digging blade is securely held in place by the grip. A leather strap attaches to the grip via a hole molded into the top, allowing you to wear it as a wristlet or hang it from a nail for safekeeping.
In the unlikely event that a Wilcox digging tool breaks, they will replace it free of charge for the rest of its useful life. With that kind of warranty, you can rest assured that this product is built to last long!
Pros
- Well-suited for digging deep into the soil
- Ergonomic design of the handle
- Comfortable to use
- Material of the highest quality
- Lightweight
- Replacement guarantee for life
- Heavy-duty and sturdy
Cons
- The leather strap is not strong enough
Types of Garden Trowel
A trowel is a compact handheld garden tool with a specific blade in general. Traditional garden hand trowels, which are used for digging, are already familiar to most gardeners.
However, there are several additional hand trowels for use in the garden. Each has its own set of elements that help us execute specific jobs more efficiently.
Though you may not feel the need for these more specialized garden tools at first, powerful, well-constructed garden trowels can prove to be a handy tool in the garden over time.
It’s understandable that, with so much information available, you might wonder which garden trowel you should use.
i. Dixter Trowel
Dixter trowels have a blunt end and are long and narrow. Weed removal is easy with these garden hand trowels. These garden trowels can also be used to delicately take seedlings from seed starting trays or separate seedlings when it’s time to transplant.
ii. Potting Trowel
The shape of these gardening tools is similar to that of other garden trowel kinds, but they have higher sides. You can effortlessly scoop and transport soil, compost, and other additives with the cup-like form of these garden trowels.
iii. Traditional Trowel
These garden hand trowels are among the most common, and they’re great for digging holes in the pot, raised beds, and even slightly compacted soil.
iv. Transplanting Trowel
A transplanting trowel is used for digging in the same way as standard hand trowels are. You can introduce a transplanting trowel into the growing space because of the longer, narrower blade of the transplanting trowel.
v. Weeding Trowel
This sort of garden trowel is used to remove weeds, as the name suggests. The forked tip of the narrow blade makes this hand trowel easier to move around plants. Its increased length allows for the eradication of weeds with deep roots.
Buying Guide for The Best Garden Trowel
Following a few simple guidelines can make choosing the best garden trowel for outdoor activities or your hobby much easier. Even the most devoted gardener can be overwhelmed by the variety of shapes and materials available.
When selecting a high quality gardening trowel, keep the following factors in mind.
Material
Stainless steel, fiberglass, polystyrene, and aluminum are common materials for garden trowels. At the same time, each has its particular set of benefits and drawbacks that must be considered when deciding the best fit for the job.
Carbon steel garden trowels are also available. They reduce hand fatigue and are mostly polished for long life. They also feature a durable blade and are resistant to wear. A carbon steel garden trowel is not rust-proof and typically heavy.
Hand-forged stainless steel garden trowels are built of a strong iron alloy with a minimum of 10.5 percent chromium, which is frequently combined with nickel, titanium, and copper to increase strength. This is the most common kind, and it is usually the ideal choice for hard soil. Not only that, but it also resists rust and has little soil addition.
The only drawback to this type of garden trowel feature is its high price. On the other hand, their plastic equivalent is inexpensive and manufactured of a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, resulting in a robust but lightweight material. It comes in vibrant colors, but it has little impact on the soil and is readily broken. This is primarily due to the blade’s lack of sharpness, making it unsuitable for heavy-duty tasks.
A rust-resistant aluminum garden trowel is as cheap and lightweight as a plastic one. Unfortunately, it’s the least durable of the bunch, as it’s not as strong as steel and loses its sharpness rapidly. It’s also prone to chipping, so be cautious when using it.
The expensive bronze garden trowel, on the other hand, can withstand corrosion and deters slugs from the garden (the latter being its only downside when compared to other materials). It has low soil adhesion and is durable, just like its stainless steel counterpart. It has a sharp edge, making it ideal for yard work.
The garden trowel which is made of stainless steel is the perfect alternative for digging in hard soil, primarily because it is strong enough to dig in hard ground.
Blade
As you may be aware, a garden trowel is used to dig and scoop soil (and sometimes to remove stubborn clods) from the ground. Simply put, the blade material must be sturdy enough to endure the power of digging as well as the weight of the soil.
A garden trowel blade is often made of steel, carbon steel, or hard plastic/fiber composite. Some gardeners believe that carbon steel is more durable than steel. This could be true if carbon steel weren’t brittle and resistant to rust. Hence, it is highly advised that you invest in a stainless steel blade.
Aside from the blade’s total length, take a look at the width. Check to see if it has curved, pointed, or beveled edges, as this allows it to break down even the toughest soil and rocky ground.
A narrow, long blade is the best option for digging deep into the ground. In contrast, its wider counterpart is better for scoping out soil and transplanting flowers. A wide blade is also good for transplanting small plants.
If you require measuring soil, you should choose the blades with graduation marks to keep track of your progress. Garden trowels with back-blade wings, for example, are the finest choice for removing difficult weeds and roots.
When it comes to sharpness, this is a critical aspect in determining how effective it is. This is crucial for digging, planting, and scooping. The sharper it is, the easier it is for these two to work together. Of course, it is necessary to point out that it does not last indefinitely. As a result, you should keep an eye out for when it begins to loosen up.
Handle
Nowadays, the garden trowel’s handle could be constructed of any material, including plastic, wood, fiberglass, steel, and even rubber.
We advise against using a garden trowel with a wood or plastic handle because plastic handles are the least robust. In contrast, wooden handles are not excellent for long-term usage if they are constantly exposed to water. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you purchase a garden trowel with fiberglass, rubber, or steel handles, as they are far more durable than the other handle materials described above.
The top-notch garden trowel handles have a good length, a comfortable grip, an ergonomic design, and offer extra leverage that allows them to function well in any soil condition when you spend hours in the garden.
The length of the handle impacts how the garden trowel feels in hand and can increase or decrease pressure on the palm. Too short a handle causes hand stress or strain and leaves less room for gripping.
A long handle helps your hand’s well-being during large amounts of heavy work. A garden trowel handle should be at least 4 inches long, but closer to 5.5 inches is optimal ergonomic.
The grip makes holding the gardening trowel more comfortable and simpler during any gardening job. The best grip is usually found on handles with cylindrical or oval forms rather than flat edges.
An ergonomic handle is a great choice as it makes repetitive activities easier and safer for gardeners and reduces muscle injury and strain. Ergonomically designed garden trowel handles create a neutral wrist posture, which cushions against flexing, extending, and radial deviation (bending or twisting the wrist toward the thumb).
Additional Features
The weight, handle hole, and sharpening of a garden trowel are all extra features determining its functionality.
The weight of a garden trowel has an impact on how you utilize it. Look for a garden trowel that’s under 3 pounds, but ideally, it should be under 1 pound.
The reinforced handle hole in most trowels enables convenient storage in the garage or garden shed.
Most garden trowels are easy to sharpen because of their metal structure, so gardeners can keep them in working condition when the edges begin to dull.
Warranty
A limited lifetime warranty is available on some garden trowels. Of course, this isn’t always the case, which is why it’s crucial to double-check whether they have one. This will be very useful for factory problems, and it will save you some money. In contrast to their generic competitors, reputable brands are more likely to provide a warranty.
If something comes with a warranty, it should be for two or more years since it shows the company feels they have developed a product that will last and trusts it will.
Price
It should go without saying that garden trowel prices range widely. Brand reputation, design, handle material, and product quality all play a role in this decision. Garden trowels come in many shapes and sizes, so shopping for the top-of-the-line garden trowel isn’t necessarily an issue. However, you need to be cautious to get the most value for money from your trowel that will stay in good health for ages.
Garden Trowel Maintenance Tips
- Wash the garden trowel thoroughly in running water.
- Wipe down your gardening trowel with a hand rag and let it air dry.
- It is recommended that you clean your garden tools after each usage in the great outdoors.
- Sand the wood with medium-grit sandpaper. Apply linseed oil to it to produce and maintain a protective shield.
- Corrosion, if not prevented, can damage your garden trowels. The metallic section of your trowel should be oiled regularly. This can be accomplished with motor oil. It protects the metallic portion from oxidation by isolating it.
- After you’ve finished cleaning your garden trowel, it’s time to sharpen it. Sharpening tools designed specifically for gardening equipment are available. Scrape the edge of the garden trowel with the file, keeping a 45-degree angle between them. Repeat 2–3 times.
- After each usage, clean your garden trowel with bleach. You can lessen the chance of disease in your garden plants by doing so.
- Garden trowels should be stored in a clean, dry place. It is preferable to keep them upright or to hang so that air can circulate freely through them.
Conclusion
That concludes our exploration today. Other than the gardening trowels listed here by our editorial team, you can also check out several alternatives (Teerwere Garden Shovel with hexagonal arc surface blade, for example) using our buying guide.
When choosing the ideal garden hand trowel, go with your instincts and the trowel that feels the most comfortable in your hand. You’ll be able to use it for a very long time if you take excellent care of it.
Just make sure to pick a sturdy material that can withstand all types of soil and suit your needs without breaking the bank when you shop.
FAQs
Can I use the garden trowel to dig into snow?
Ans: Yes, you certainly can. This is a task that a model like the Garden Guru excels at. In truth, most models with larger blades (3.5 to 4 inches, for example) are excellent for snow removal.
Garden trowels are versatile, which is one of their benefits. They can be used in ways that aren’t necessarily related to design.
How long does a garden trowel last?
Ans: With regular care, high-quality garden trowels can last a decade or longer. After each usage, clean, disinfect, and wipe the blades dry to guarantee a longer life. Remember to keep the garden trowel out of the elements while not in use.
With the help of this guide, you should be able to discover the suitable garden trowel that strikes the right combination of comfort and quality, ensuring years of happy gardening.
What are the finest garden hand tools?
Ans: Edward Tools Bend Proof Garden Trowel and Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel
What can I use instead of a garden trowel?
Ans: Potting scoops. A potting scoop is a tool with a wide, deep blade used to scoop compost from the bag and into pots and hanging baskets. It can hold more soil than a garden trowel because of the deep blade.
What is the difference between a spade and a trowel?
Ans: A garden trowel is a small hand tool that can dig, apply, smooth, or move small amounts of soil or other granular material. On the other hand, a spade is a digging tool with a long handle and a blade that is often shorter and less curved than that of a hand shovel.
What is the difference between a trowel and a transplanter?
Ans: The transplanter is similar to a garden trowel. It allows you to dig precise planting holes. The blade is longer and narrower than a garden trowel, making it ideal for transplanting deep beneath the plant roots.
What should I look for in a garden trowel?
Ans: The strength of the garden trowel and the handle’s comfort are the most important aspects here.
Because garden trowels are frequently cut through thick roots or compacted dirt, choose one made of a durable material that will not buckle under pressure.
Since these garden tools will be used frequently, choose one comfortable to hold and has a padded handle. Newer ergonomic handles are also more comfortable for the wrists.
What trowel does Monty Don use?
Ans: Sneeboer’s Old Dutch Style Planting Trowel. For all your gardening needs, this garden trowel has a broad, flat head with sharp sides and a pointed finish that allows you to cut effortlessly through the soil.